After 10 Years Away From Senate, Rick Santorum At Center Of Health Care Debate

The latest GOP effort to repeal the Affordable Care Act is picking up steam in the Senate. Former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum has been a key player promoting it, a decade after leaving office.

AILSA CHANG, HOST:

There's been a lot of unexpected news in Washington lately. That includes the fact that Republicans now appear to have a real chance at repealing the Affordable Care Act. That's in large part because of South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham. He's promoting a measure built around block grants. Those grants would get rid of a lot of federal mandates and instead turn money directly over to states.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING)

LINDSEY GRAHAM: So I believe that most Republicans like the idea of state-controlled health care - versus Washington, D.C.-controlled health care.

SCOTT DETROW, BYLINE: Last week, Lindsey Graham walked up to a lectern to talk about health care and introduced several other Republican senators.

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GRAHAM: Bill Cassidy's going to walk you through the details. Rick Santorum's going to tell you how history's on our side. Ron Johnson's going to talk about numbers 'cause that what he does (laughter). And Dean Heller's going to tell you about why this is a good deal for Nevada and the country as a whole.